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Library bond fails by 14 votes in final election count

A final count of 38 outstanding ballots Monday confirmed all the unofficial results from this month's city election, including the narrow defeat of a $5.5 million bond proposition that would have paid for renovations to the Loussac Library and a relocation of Mulcahy Stadium, near Sullivan Arena.

The tally released by the city clerk's office Monday afternoon had 22,928 people voting against the proposition, and 22,914 voting in favor.

The Anchorage Assembly is scheduled to certify the election results at its meeting Tuesday evening.

City code contains no provisions for an automatic recount, though a group of 10 voters can submit an application to the municipal clerk asking for a recount of a proposition. The application must include a deposit of $100 per election precinct, of which there are 122 in the city -- meaning that a full recount could cost more than $12,000. The money is returned if a recount changes the result.

Mary Rasmussen, the advocacy director for the Anchorage Library Foundation, which had pushed for passage of the bond proposition, did not respond to a request for comment Monday.